Recently I noticed something special in the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of John. In a Sunday sermon it was said that a certain Greek word for 'home' only occurs twice in the New Testament, in verses 2 and 23 of John 14.
- In My Father's house are many mansions (...)‘ John 14:2
- (…) and We will come to him and make abode with him John 14:23 Telos translation
In the thirteenth chapter, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that He would depart from them: “(…) yet a little while I am with you (…) where I go you cannot come.(13:33).
Many homes
But then comes that great encouragement
“In My Father's house are many mansions (…) I go to prepare a place for you. (…) I will return and take you to Myself, that you also may be where I am.”
The Lord uses the image of the Jewish wedding here, where the groom leaves his bride in her father's house and goes to his father's house to prepare a house for himself and his bride. Then he takes the bride to his father's house, they take up residence in their own house, and the wedding will take place.
And still, more than 2000 years later, we can look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring us into the Father's House[1]. We can't imagine what that will be; I don't anyway. What we can deduce from the text is that it is a house in the Father's house, where the Lord Jesus is also. The rest of the chapter - and also chapter 15 - makes it clear that it is about knowing and loving the Father and the Son. An unimaginable future awaits us.
We will make a home with him
But then the 23th fresh. There the Lord gives a great promise, namely that as long as we are here on earth the Father and the Son (We) dwell with us! As long as we are not in the Father's house, They make their home with us and we may already experience the association with God the Father and with Jesus Christ, God's Son, as if we were already in the Father's house. Isn't that great grace?
The context makes it clear that this is, of course, about the Holy Spirit, the Comforter who is given (verses 16, 26). It is that Spirit Who does a work in our hearts, so that we taste the association with the Father and the Lord Jesus. That is what John also calls “(…) and this communion of ours is also with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3. Tell the Father how much you love Him because He first loved you and sent His Only Begotten Son to atone for your sins 1 John 4:19, 9, 10. And thank the Lord Jesus for what He, God's only-begotten Son, has done for you on the cross of Calvary[2].
The conditions'
In verse 23 something else precedes it. It starts with loving the Lord Jesus. It starts with that, but that's where the other part comes directly and there is always the logical consequence of it, namely 'Heed His Word'. Moreover, the love for the Lord Jesus appears from keeping His commandments, as verse 21 also says.
“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me, and whoever loves Me, My Father will love him; and I will love him and reveal Myself to him”
John 14:21
When we deal with God's Word, do what He makes clear to us in it and love the Lord Jesus, then we will also experience the love of the Father and of the Lord Jesus in our hearts. We will see more of Him, our Lord Jesus Christ ("He will reveal Himself to Him," it says) and He will become greater for us!
Until we dwell in the heavenly Father's house, heaven will come to dwell with us!
[1] The Lord here refers to the 'rapture' of the Church. Other scriptures clarify that when He returns at the 'rapture' it will be to immediately call His own to heaven (1 Thess.4:13-18). John 14:1-3 is one of the three major New Testament passages dealing with the "rapture," the others being 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. On the other hand, when the Lord Jesus returns at 'the Second Coming', it will be to remain on earth and reign for 1000 years (Revelation 19:11-20:15).
[2] https://goddienen.nu/god-dienen/de-heilige-geest-en-de-wedergeboorte/
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